The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was watched by an estimated 1.9 billion people worldwide, making it the third most-watched event in history. In the US, 29 million people tuned in across 15 different broadcast and cable networks. In the UK, almost two-thirds of viewers tuned in to the BBC's coverage, with a peak audience of 13.1 million.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Date | May 2018 |
Number of viewers | 1.9 billion |
Number of households that watched | 23.7 million |
Number of viewers in the UK | 18 million |
Number of viewers in the US | 29.2 million |
Number of viewers in the US across 15 channels | 29 million |
Number of viewers in the US across 13 channels | 22.4 million |
Number of viewers in the US on NBC | 6.4 million |
Number of viewers in the US on ABC | 6.3 million |
Number of viewers in the US on CBS | 4.8 million |
Number of viewers in the US on Fox News | 1.9 million |
Number of viewers in the US on CNN | 1.8 million |
Number of viewers in the US on MSNBC | 1 million |
What You'll Learn
The wedding was the third most-watched event in history, with 1.9 billion viewers
The royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry was a highly anticipated event that captivated audiences worldwide. The ceremony took place at the iconic St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, with 600 guests in attendance, including celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, and David Beckham. The wedding was not only a significant event in the UK and the US but also globally, as it attracted an extensive audience from across the world.
According to reports, an estimated 1.9 billion people tuned in to watch the royal wedding on television, making it the third most-watched event in history. This extraordinary viewership number represented approximately 25% of the global population. In the US, the wedding was aired on 15 different broadcast and cable networks, attracting a total of 29 million viewers. NBC led the ratings with 6.4 million viewers, followed by ABC with 6.3 million, and CBS with 4.8 million. The royal wedding drew in 2.7 million more Americans compared to the Oscars that year, further highlighting its immense popularity.
In the UK, the wedding was a ratings battle between the BBC and ITV, with the BBC emerging as the winner. The BBC's coverage peaked at 1 pm with 13.1 million viewers tuning in to watch the newlyweds leave St George's Chapel and take their first tour of Windsor. Overall, the BBC averaged 8.7 million viewers, while ITV's coverage averaged 2.5 million viewers. The royal wedding became the BBC's most-watched television event of the year.
The popularity of the wedding can be attributed to several factors, including the fact that Meghan Markle is an American, which naturally drew more interest from American audiences. Additionally, the convenience of the timing may have played a role, as it aired at more favourable hours compared to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding. The wedding's availability on multiple channels and the presence of modern streaming options also likely contributed to its massive viewership.
The royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry was a historic event that brought people together from all over the world. With 1.9 billion viewers, it solidified its place as the third most-watched event in history, leaving an indelible mark on the audiences who witnessed this grand celebration.
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29 million Americans tuned in
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a highly anticipated event, with many people across the globe tuning in to witness the royal couple exchange their vows. The event was not just popular in the UK but also captivated audiences in the United States. In fact, an impressive 29 million Americans tuned in to watch the royal wedding across 15 different broadcast and cable networks. This number represents a significant portion of the US population, demonstrating the widespread interest in the event.
The high viewership in the US can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, Meghan Markle's American nationality played a crucial role in drawing a larger American audience. As an American actress marrying into the British royal family, the wedding had a unique appeal to US viewers. The timing of the wedding also contributed to the high viewership. Despite the early start time of 4:00 Pacific Time and 7:00 Eastern Time, many Americans were eager to wake up early and tune in to the festivities.
The royal wedding was a massive draw on television, outperforming other popular programs. NBC led the way with an average of 6.4 million viewers, closely followed by ABC with 6.3 million, and CBS with 4.8 million. These numbers are particularly impressive when compared to the average viewership of top shows on broadcast television, such as "The Big Bang Theory" and "Young Sheldon," which average around 11.5 million viewers per week. The wedding also attracted a larger audience than the Oscars that year, with 2.7 million more Americans choosing to watch Harry and Meghan's nuptials.
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was not just a popular event in the US but also globally. It was reported that a whopping 1.9 billion people worldwide tuned in to watch the royal wedding, making it the third most-watched event in history. This meant that one-fourth of the global population witnessed the fairy-tale wedding. The event's massive reach extended across 73 countries, with particularly high viewership in the UK, where it drew in about 24 million viewers, amounting to more than a third of the country's population.
The royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle captivated audiences worldwide, and the numbers certainly reflect its immense popularity. With 29 million Americans tuning in, the event highlighted the appeal of a royal wedding, especially when it involves an American bride. The high viewership in the US contributed to the global audience, making the event one of the most-watched in history.
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24 million Brits watched
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a highly anticipated event, with millions of people tuning in to watch the royal couple exchange vows. The ceremony took place at the iconic St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, with 600 guests in attendance, including celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, and David Beckham.
While the wedding captured the attention of people worldwide, it is estimated that about 24 million Brits watched the event. This number represents more than a third of the UK's population at the time, showcasing the significance of the occasion for the country. The BBC emerged as the winner in the ratings battle, with an average of 8.7 million viewers and a peak of 13.1 million people tuning in to watch the newlyweds leave St George's Chapel and take their first tour of Windsor.
The high viewership numbers in the UK contributed to the global audience, which reached a whopping 1.9 billion people. This massive audience made the royal wedding the third most-watched event in history, surpassing even the fairy-tale wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1981.
The popularity of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's nuptials extended beyond traditional television screens. With the rise of online streaming and social media, many people likely followed the wedding through these platforms, further expanding the global reach of this historic event.
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NBC averaged 6.4 million viewers
NBC's coverage of the royal wedding was extensively planned, with the network sending a lot of its talent and resources to Windsor. This investment paid off, as NBC finished first in the TV news ratings race in all measurements. The network's coverage from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET averaged 6.4 million total viewers, with 2.31 million in the key A25-54 demographic. This placed them just ahead of ABC, which averaged 6.35 million viewers, and CBS, which averaged 4.79 million viewers.
NBC's strong performance in the ratings can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the network has historically had the strongest news division and Saturday morning news programs, so it is well-positioned to lead in special news broadcasts such as the royal wedding. Secondly, the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attracted significant interest in the US, as Markle is an American. This likely contributed to the high viewership numbers on NBC and other networks.
The royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a significant event that captivated audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. The high viewership numbers on NBC and other networks demonstrate that traditional television can still draw a mass audience when given the right choice of programming.
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ABC had 6.3 million viewers
ABC, a US-exclusive TV channel, attracted 6.3 million viewers for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The channel is owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company and is available to viewers in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. However, geo-restrictions limit access to the channel's content outside the United States.
To watch ABC in the UK, viewers must use a VPN to change their IP address and circumvent geo-restrictions. The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a highly popular event, with a global audience of 1.9 billion people, making it the third most-watched event in history. The event drew in 29.2 million viewers from the USA, despite the early morning start time.
The high viewership of the royal wedding on ABC highlights the continued appeal of traditional television for certain events, such as weddings, which bring people together in a way that other TV shows with narrower genre focuses might not be able to achieve.
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Frequently asked questions
An estimated 1.9 billion people worldwide tuned in to watch the royal wedding.
About 18 million people watched in the UK, most of them on BBC.
29 million people tuned in to the wedding across 15 different broadcast and cable networks in the US.
William and Kate's wedding was watched by 24 million people in the UK and 22.8 million in the US.